California 20252026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

AB 1161 — Public social services: state of emergency or health emergency.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Assembly.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 36% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Existing law establishes various public social services programs under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Social Services, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, the CalFresh program, the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) . Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, requires a health care service plan to provide an enrollee who has been displaced or whose health may otherwise be affected by a state of emergency, as declared by the Governor, or a health emergency, as declared by the State Public Health Officer, with access to medically necessary health care services, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, for purposes of CalWORKs, CalFresh, CFAP, IHSS, and CAPI, and the State Department of Health Care Services, for Medi-Cal purposes, to provide continuous eligibility for the applicable programs to a recipient or beneficiary who has been affected by a state of emergency, including through displacement. For Medi-Cal purposes, the bill would specify additional qualifying circumstances, including certain disruptions in providers, infrastructure, or other services, and would also require this continuous eligibility in the case of effect an by a health emergency. The bill would authorize the State Department of Health Care Services to implement these Medi-Cal provisions by providing continuous eligibility to all Medi-Cal beneficiaries within a geographic region where the department finds that multiple Medi-Cal beneficiaries within the geographic region have experienced any of these circumstances due to a state of emergency or health emergency. Under the bill, the continuous eligibility would maintain a recipient's or beneficiary's current scope of benefits under the applicable program for certain timelines. The bill would require the 2 departments to implement the continuous eligibility through automated programming of eligibility systems, with notifications, as specified. The bill would require a county to immediately restore eligibility for the applicable program for any recipient or beneficiary whose eligibility was discontinued and who informs the county that they have been impacted as described above, without requesting any further verifications from the recipient or beneficiary. In the case of CalWORKs, CalFresh, CFAP, IHSS, and CAPI, if a recipient fails to submit a semiannual report or an annual redetermination or recertification of eligibility, if applicable, the bill would require the county to determine that the recipient had good cause for failing to submit that information. The bill would set forth related provisions for the county, the State Department of Social Services, and the Director of Social Services. Under the bill, these provisions would be implemented only to the extent not in conflict with federal law. The bill would authorize the Director of Social Services to waive, subject to receipt of any necessary federal approvals, the enforcement of specific federal requirements, regulations, or standards necessary to implement the above-described applicable provisions. Under the bill, implementation of the Medi-Cal provisions would be conditioned on receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation. The bill would authorize the Director of Social Services or the Director of Health Care Services to issue county directives regarding compliance with the respective provisions. By creating new duties for counties with regard to eligibility for the above-described programs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing these provisions. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. In committee: Held under submission.

  4. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)

  5. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  6. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  7. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  8. Read second time and amended.

  9. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 29).

  10. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

  11. Read second time and amended.

  12. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8).

  13. Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and HEALTH.

  14. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  15. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 16 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 4000
Democratic 12000
Total 16000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
González, Mark Democratic Yea
Krell, Maggy Democratic Yea
Patel, Darshana R. Democratic Yea
Rodriguez, Celeste Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Sharp-Collins, LaShae Democratic Yea
Stefani, Catherine Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety immigration healthcare labor health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 1161 do?
Existing law establishes various public social services programs under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Social Services, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, the CalFresh program, the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) , the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) . Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing law, the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, requires a health care service plan to provide an enrollee who has been displaced or whose health may otherwise be affected by a state of emergency, as declared by the Governor, or a health emergency, as declared by the State Public Health Officer, with access to medically necessary health care services, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services, for purposes of CalWORKs, CalFresh, CFAP, IHSS, and CAPI, and the State Department of Health Care Services, for Medi-Cal purposes, to provide continuous eligibility for the applicable programs to a recipient or beneficiary who has been affected by a state of emergency, including through displacement. For Medi-Cal purposes, the bill would specify additional qualifying circumstances, including certain disruptions in providers, infrastructure, or other services, and would also require this continuous eligibility in the case of effect an by a health emergency. The bill would authorize the State Department of Health Care Services to implement these Medi-Cal provisions by providing continuous eligibility to all Medi-Cal beneficiaries within a geographic region where the department finds that multiple Medi-Cal beneficiaries within the geographic region have experienced any of these circumstances due to a state of emergency or health emergency. Under the bill, the continuous eligibility would maintain a recipient's or beneficiary's current scope of benefits under the applicable program for certain timelines. The bill would require the 2 departments to implement the continuous eligibility through automated programming of eligibility systems, with notifications, as specified. The bill would require a county to immediately restore eligibility for the applicable program for any recipient or beneficiary whose eligibility was discontinued and who informs the county that they have been impacted as described above, without requesting any further verifications from the recipient or beneficiary. In the case of CalWORKs, CalFresh, CFAP, IHSS, and CAPI, if a recipient fails to submit a semiannual report or an annual redetermination or recertification of eligibility, if applicable, the bill would require the county to determine that the recipient had good cause for failing to submit that information. The bill would set forth related provisions for the county, the State Department of Social Services, and the Director of Social Services. Under the bill, these provisions would be implemented only to the extent not in conflict with federal law. The bill would authorize the Director of Social Services to waive, subject to receipt of any necessary federal approvals, the enforcement of specific federal requirements, regulations, or standards necessary to implement the above-described applicable provisions. Under the bill, implementation of the Medi-Cal provisions would be conditioned on receipt of any necessary federal approvals and the availability of federal financial participation. The bill would authorize the Director of Social Services or the Director of Health Care Services to issue county directives regarding compliance with the respective provisions. By creating new duties for counties with regard to eligibility for the above-described programs, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing these provisions. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Who sponsors AB 1161?
AB 1161 is sponsored by Harabedian, John (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 1161?
This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track AB 1161?
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